Away From It All
by SilverShiver
Summary: Three chapters that follow Ginny's life with the only one who can make her happy.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Away From It All**

**Author: SilverShiver**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. J.K. Rowling does. That's about it.**

**OoOoOoOoO**

**Away From It All (1/3)**

**OoOoOoOoO**

Ginny un-rolled her socks to her knees and buckled her black patent leather shoes. She straightened her skirt and smoothed some of the wrinkles out of her shirt. She adjusted the Gryffindor tie that she always wore and slipped her clean black robe on over everything. The hem was frayed and it was a bit shorter than everyone else's, but that didn't really matter. Ginny checked her reflection in the mirror and then added a hair clip above her right ear and smiled. She looked…

…Average.

Ginny's smile faded and she adopted a look of sad longing. She would have given anything to be like all the other girls. Parvati and Padma, Hogwarts' most adored twins, were always getting the attention and Lavender Brown had a new boyfriend every month. True, they were older than her, but only by a year; could a year change a person so much? She was in her sixth year now and, for all of her previous boyfriends, she felt so unwanted and inferior.

Ginny pulled herself together and headed down the stairs into the Gryffindor Common Room. It was time for breakfast and she was sure the others were on their way out. They wouldn't wait for her, and she didn't expect them too. She was still a little sister to them—neither a friend nor anything more. Ginny sighed as she saw Harry leave with his two friends. Their relationship had been short lived last year, and after Harry had been forced to return to school by Remus and Molly, she had thought he might want her back. But he hadn't and she felt as miserable in his presence as ever.

She followed behind the trio as they made their way down to the Great Hall. From a bit behind, Ginny was able to watch and listen unobserved as they talked. Hermione was going on about some homework that the other two hadn't finished yet. They were laughing playfully, calling her a bookworm in a joking manner, and she just smiled back.

At night, when Ginny would visit the Head Girl in her room, Hermione talked about how she wished she could be looked at desirably, like Ginny was. Ginny had to resist from scoffing. Desirable—Ginny? No, she argued. Guys didn't find her desirable. They just liked her breasts. Hermione had giggled at the red-heads audacity, but had nodded. That had hurt Ginny. Even Hermione thought she was undesirable? If even the plain, bushy-haired bookworm could tell that Ginny wasn't anything special, everyone could.

She didn't know what Hermione had to be unhappy about. She might not be classically beautiful, but she was smart enough to know what she wanted and to get it when she wanted. Ginny couldn't do that. She was lucky to scrape an Acceptable in most of her classes.

Ginny entered the Great Hall and sat down by Hermione, unnoticed. After a few minutes she was included into a conversation on Quidditch with Ron, Seamus, and Harry. She said a few things but eventually returned to her meal. She listened to the girls discussing their new dress robes for the Winter Formal approaching, and hung her head as she wasn't included. Suddenly, Hermione asked her opinion on the colour of her robes and she perked up in response. She gave her choice—dark green, but wasn't really surprised when the rest of the group convinced Hermione into red robes.

Sighing in relief at the end of the meal, Ginny left the Hall in front of the others. She overheard a few whispers wondering what had crawled up her arse to make her hurry out of the Hall, but ignored them as she headed for the doors. She had almost made it out when a gang of Slytherin girls nearly ran her over. She tripped over herself trying to avoid them, and fell onto the floor. Closing her eyes, she hoped against hope that when she opened them, the girls would be gone. No such luck. Even before she opened her eyes she could hear them laughing and whispering about her. Sure enough, they were there in front of her, slowly walking away while looking over their shoulders at her.

She overheard Pansy say something about how she played nearly every boy in the school. Then Mandy piped in with something about how Michael Corner had said she was a 'decent lay'. As their voices faded, Millicent said that even the Slytherin's were noticing her reputation—apparently Blaise had admitted in the common room…

Ginny didn't get the last bit of the confession from the dark Slytherin, but she didn't need to hear it to know what would have followed. Michael Corner was a lying prat! She had never slept with him—that had been all he was interested in and she had told him off for it! But apparently he had lied and rumours had now been travelling for over a year. She had dumped him before her fourth year had ended. Suddenly the answer to her question that morning came flooding in. Apparently a year could change a person. Not change, perhaps, but you could obviously develop a reputation—wanted or unwanted.

Realizing she was still on the floor, she lifted herself up and dusted off her robes.

"I'm afraid that won't do any good, Weasley," said a dark voice from behind her. "They will still look hand-me-down; like they are."

Ginny turned around to face the dark haired Slytherin. "Zabini, what do you want?" she growled, not wanting to talk to him after what she had overheard.

"Now, now… That's no way to talk to your superiors, is it?" he chided with a smirk.

"You don't mean you?"

He wasn't fazed. "I do as a matter of fact. I'm glad you're catching on."

Ginny rolled her eyes and turned around. She left the Hall and was walking to her first class when she was pulled into a dark corridor by the same man.

"I wasn't done talking to you, Weasley," he said when she glared at him.

"Really? I don't care!" She shoved away from him and left. He grabbed her wrist again and pulled her back.

"You don't have a choice."

"Zabini, can we do this some other time? I daresay I've heard enough of what you've said for today."

"What do you mean?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean… never mind," she said, but she didn't leave. She didn't want to admit it, but at least he was acknowledging that she existed.

"What did I say? I'm sure I haven't said anything offensive to you…yet."

Ginny glared at him. "I overheard Millicent Bullstrode making a comment on something you admitted to doing in the common room."

"Really? And what was that?"

"She said that you… You said you slept with me. So, if you don't mind, I think I will leave you to yourself because I find I am earning an unfair reputation."

"I never said that, Weasley," Blaise said quietly. "I think she misheard me. That, or you misheard her."

Ginny lowered her lashes and blushed. True, she hadn't exactly heard the statement in its entirety, but what else could have followed?

"Well," she challenged. "What _did_ you say?"

Blaise smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Ginny scowled and turned away. She marched down the hallway, expecting him to follow behind her. From their little meeting, she had learned that he didn't give up easily. Sure enough, he found her wrist again, and had her trapped in a passageway that she hadn't even known existed.

She looked around wildly at her surroundings. "Where are we?" she asked with fear in her eyes. If she didn't know where they were, how could she call for help if he tried something Slytherin-like? Would anyone even hear her?

"Just a secret passage. Now," he said, focusing on her. "Would you like to know what I said?"

"Better yet, I'd like to know what you want."

"In good time, Weasley. But first, what I said." She nodded and waited for him to continue. "I said that I wouldn't _mind_ sleeping with you. I never said I already had."

Ginny's jaw dropped. "You… what?"

"As to why I am here—what I want—that's easy. You."

Ginny backed away and into a wall. "Let me out of here, Zabini."

"Not until I get what I want. I need to find out if Corner was giving you your deserved credit."

"Michael was lying," she said quietly. "I never slept with him. Now will you please let me go?"

Blaise was taken aback but wasn't going to give up that easily. "For a price."

Ginny sighed and slid down the wall. "Fine, then. I'll stay in here and rot. It's not like anyone would miss me."

Blaise quirked an eyebrow. "Surely the Golden Trio would care."

Ginny scoffed. "Right! Let me clue you in," she said, raising her eyes to his. "They're called the Golden _Trio_ for a reason. Not the Quartet."

Blaise was silent for a moment before he noticed the stifled sobs coming from the redhead. "Weasley, you're crying."

She raised her head. "Well that answers the long wondered question of why you aren't at the head of your class."

Blaise scowled. "I'm not at the head, for your information, because that _mudblood_ doesn't have a life."

Ginny raised herself up defensively. "Don't call her that, Zabini," she threatened.

"So you defend people who don't care about you? How _Gryffindor_."

She glared up at him. "Let me out of here, Zabini."

"Why should I? What do I have to gain?"

"What do you want?" she asked, yearning for an escape.

"You go first."

"What?"

"Tell me something that you want, and then I'll tell you what I want. Maybe we can help each other."

"I doubt it," she said untrustingly. "Besides, what makes you think I want something?"

"Anyone as unhappy as you seem to be wants, or needs, something."

"I don't want anything. Except to get out of here."

His gaze softened just a bit. "Tell me, Weasley."

"Why should I?" she asked. Of course she wanted something, but she would be damned if she was just going to tell him.

"Because I'm listening."

Ginny opened her mouth to respond but couldn't think of a response. She exhaled loudly before speaking. "Have you ever wanted something—no, _one_ thing—above everything else?" She didn't wait for a response. "Wanted it so badly that you would do almost anything for it?"

When she lifted her gaze she saw Blaise watching her intently. "What is it that you want, little Weasley?"

She focused on his eyes. "To get away from it all," she said simply. A moment later she asked him, "What do you want?"

Blaise shook his head. Before she had the chance to remind him that they had made a sort of a deal, he had taken three steps closer to her and had one hand on her back and another behind her head. When he kissed her, Ginny went a bit weak in the knees and had to hang on to his shirt for balance. He was kissing her with passion and she was doing her best to remain calm. After a second she responded, making the ardent kiss even more so. Finally, as they pulled away from each other, Ginny stared at Blaise in disbelief.

He was about to kiss her again when she put her hand on his chest, stopping him. "What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.

He smirked. "Taking you away from it all." And with that he moved her against the wall capturing her mouth in another kiss.

**OoOoOoOoO**

**A/N: Hope you're liking it... It's been on hiatus on my computer for exactly three months today. I wrote chapters two and three last night and that'sall there is to the story. Three chapters. Quick.**

**Review please.**


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Away From It All

Author: SilverShiver

Disclaimer: I don't own it. J.K. Rowling does. That's about it.

Away From It All (2/3)

Blaise entered his flat and looked around in confusion. There were two suitcases and a box by the door. He kneeled down by the parcel and opened up the flaps revealing an assortment of Ginny's books and knick-knacks that had been removed from their room. He heard a 'thump' from the bedroom and slowly rose to his knees. What was she up to now?

"Ginny?" he called down the small hallway. He heard her gasp and he hurried to the door. "What are you doing?" he asked when he saw her rushing to put her clothes into one of the suitcases.

"What does it look like?" she asked irritably without looking at him. Blaise went to her side and put his hand onto her arm.

"Ginny, calm down," he said softly. She stopped packing but took her arm away.

"I'm calm, Blaise." She raised her eyes to his. "Why are you home so early?" she asked quietly.

He shook his head. "I _wanted_ to surprise you, but you beat me to it," he joked dryly. She scoffed and shook her head. She went back to packing her things. Blaise watched her for a moment before saying anything.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked suddenly. "We were fine last night! Why are you leaving all of a sudden?"

Ginny ignored him as she continued to move back and forth across the room, transferring her things into the suitcase.

"Ginny! Answer me!" he demanded.

She shook her head. "Blaise, you can't give me what I need," she said softly. On the verge of tears she tried to shut her overfilled suitcase. She put all her weight on it and tried to snap the locks closed but to no avail.

"What do you need?" he asked. "What can I give you to make you stay?"

She sat on her suitcase and tried to shut it again. "Nothing Blaise. _You _can't give me anything."

"What does that mean?" He raised his hands in exasperation as she gave more attention to the suitcase than to him. "I'm trying, love. I'm trying to help us, but I can't do anything without you."

She resigned from her struggle with the suitcase and lowered herself against the edge of the bed, crying freely. "Blaise, just go," she pleaded. "I can't do this with you here…"

Blaise was becoming angry with her for acting so foolish. They had been together for five years—ever since he had cornered her in his seventh year. They had been living together since she had graduated. She had even moved out of her family's home to be with him. Everything was going perfectly and now she was throwing it all to the wind? With no reason?

Blaise cleared his head and kneeled down by her side. "Ginny," he begged. "I don't know what I did wrong. Tell me, I'll fix it."

Ginny's sobs subsided after a moment and finally she looked him in the eyes. "You didn't do _anything_," she confessed. He cocked his head in confusion and she stood up to work on her suitcase. After taking out a few things she was able to shut it with a click. The noise brought Blaise back from his daze and he stood up to face her.

"What?" he asked. "Why are you leaving if I didn't do anything?"

Ginny pulled her suitcase from the bed and carried it past Blaise into the living room where the other two were. She grabbed her coat and after carefully shrinking all of her packages, she placed them into her pocket. Blaise followed her out of the room and was glaring at her.

"If I didn't do anything," he repeated irately, "then why are you leaving?" She ignored him again and he tried to change his approach. "Fine," he acquiesced. "Where are you going? At least tell me that!"

"Hermione said I could stay with her for a while. She talked it over with Harry and they agreed I could use the spare bedroom. I'll be there if you need me," she declared without looking at him. "But unless it's an emergency," she lifted her head and looked at him, "please don't try to reach me," she finished with a shake of her head.

Blaise felt his eyes filling with tears at her departure. "Ginny…" he sighed. "Why?"

"You can't give me what I need now, Blaise."

"What do you need?"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"Ginny!" Blaise cried. "Please. Tell me before you go," he asked her softly.

She put her hand onto the door and twisted the handle. "I need to be loved Blaise," she whispered quietly, without turning to face him.

Blaise stepped back in disbelief. He laughed shortly and smiled at her. "I can do that, Ginny," he promised. "I've been doing it for a while now. I love you."

"You don't, Blaise." She let go of the door handle and faced him.

"Yes, I do."

"No. You don't," she said forcefully.

He took a few steps closer to her. "Ginny… I do." Then he realized exactly what was going on and he stopped moving. "It's you… You don't love me." Ginny lifted her eyes and widened them in disbelief. "You don't do you? But now you're blaming me…" he said in shock.

"How could you say that?" she screeched. She left the doorstep and advanced to him. She pointed a finger at his chest. "I loved you Blaise Zabini. I loved you from the moment you met me in that alcove again. After you left me alone the first time, I thought you wouldn't want me again. But you met me after I sent you an owl, and you held me and told me I was better than what everyone else thought! And you did it again after that. And again; and when you never stopped— That was when I loved you!"

"Why are you saying _loved_? Don't you still?" he asked, hoping he had been wrong in his accusations. She backed away from him with tears in her eyes.

"I don't know anything about you anymore," she confided. "I need to think."

"What don't you know about me?" he demanded. "You don't know how much I love you? How much I need you here with me?" He stepped nearer to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Ginny, if you leave me, I won't stop loving you. I'll wait for you to come back to me—even if you never do."

Ginny's chest shook with her silent sobs. Suddenly she lifted her hands to his face and pulled him to her level. She pressed her lips to his in a hectic and confused kiss. She was trying to sort everything out through the fevered caress. He kissed her back and she could tell that he was trying to convince her to stay through it. She wouldn't—she couldn't—she told herself firmly.

Blaise backed her up into the wall as his hands began roaming her body. She moaned softly at his touches but resisted letting him go to far. Suddenly she pulled her lips away and ducked out from his embrace.

"Blaise I can't," she insisted and went to the door.

"You're really leaving?" he asked gently.

She didn't look at him but answered almost inaudibly, "Yes. I am."

"What are you going to do? Where are you going to go?" he asked once more, not meaning where she would stay.

She looked at him over her shoulder and gave him a small smile. A tear slid down her face. "I haven't decided what… and I'm going away. Away from it all." She opened the door and slid out it silently leaving Blaise alone in his apartment.

OoOoOoOoO

"Hermione, I need to talk to her."

Hermione sighed. "Blaise, she's not well. She needs a bit of space."

"But—"

"No, Blaise. I can't let you talk to her right now. She's not in any condition to see to you. Give her some time."

"It's been over four months! Isn't that time enough?" He threw up his hands in frustration. Then, he slowly took a deep breath. "Look, Hermione… I love her. I want her home."

"She can't believe you right now. She's stubborn, Blaise. Just let her have her time," Hermione tried to reason.

Blaise choked back a sob. "I didn't tell her…"

Hermione calmly held one of his hands. "Didn't tell her what? I'll let her know for you."

He looked up and Hermione was shocked to see the tears. She hadn't known Blaise well until Ginny had left him and he had been in contact with either her or her husband every day. Yet she knew him well enough now to know that these tears were a rare occurance.

"I was going to ask her to marry me. That's why I wasn't at work. I came home early to take her out for a nice dinner. I want to spend my life with her, but she doesn't love me, and won't tell me what I can do to change!"

Hermione bit her lip as a tear fell down her own cheek. She stood up with Blaise and led him to the door. "I'll do what I can Blaise. I really will. I'll try and get her to talk to you, to be reasonable."

He nodded silently and exited out the door.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, all right?" she called after him as he got on his broom and flew off. She sighed and entered the house again.

Her husband was waiting by the stairs for her when he entered. "Are you all right? I can ask him to stop coming by if it's upsetting you," Harry said as Hermione came to him. She buried herself in his arms and sighed.

"I'm so glad that we are happy, Harry. I'm so grateful that we're not going through something like this."

He smiled and kissed her head. "What did he say today?"

Hermione left his embrace and started up the stairs. "I need to talk to her, Harry. It's gone on long enough. She needs to tell him."

Harry nodded. "I know. He needs to know everything. It's his right."

She smiled back at him and then continued up the stairs. When she got to the guest bedroom, she knocked softly. Receiving no answer, she slowly opened the door to look in on its occupant. "Ginny? Love, I need to talk to you." She walked in and closed the door behind her. She saw Ginny sitting in the bay window. Her legs were curled up against her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She had her head leaning against the corner window.

"He was here."

Hermione nodded. "Yes he was."

Ginny continued to look out the window at the expansive lawn where she no doubt had seen Blaise leave. "What did he want?"

"Perhaps _you_ should ask him."

Ginny turned her head sharply at her friend. "Hermione, don't."

"It's been almost five months, Ginny. It's time you at least told him." Ginny blinked and looked away. "You don't have to go back if you don't want to. I can't make you do that."

Ginny looked her way again, "Then you can't make me tell him!"

"You have until the end of the week, Ginny. Then you're out of my house. You can't keep this from him. He has to know." Hermione was about to turn out of the room when Ginny moved from her post. Hermione saw the slight curve under her robes as she approached.

"Hermione…" she pleaded.

Hermione closed her eyes and left Ginny alone to consider her choices.

OoOoOoOoO

"Harry, please… Let me see her!"

"Blaise, this is getting old."

"Getting old? Should I give up? Is that what you're saying? Harry, if Hermione just up and left today, wouldn't you follow her? Wouldn't you do everything you could to get her back?"

"Hermione didn't leave me though."

Blaise fought back the urge to fight him. "I can't stop. Not until I see her one more time. I need to talk to her. I have so much that I want to say."

Harry shook his head.

"Blaise," a small voice choked back a sob at the sight of him.

Harry turned and saw Ginny standing by the stairs, a hand by her neck, holding her necklace nervously. He quietly left the two alone.

Ginny and Blaise stood across the hall from each other for a while. Then Blaise took a few steps in her direction until he was next to her. He put his hands on either side of her face and pulled her up into a kiss. "I missed you," he murmured.

She smiled at him. "I know. I—I need to talk to you."

He shook his head. "No, I need to talk to you. I love you Ginny. Maybe I didn't tell you soon enough, but I do. I'll never stop. It's been three months without you, and I never want to have to go through that again. I want you with me. I want you to marry me."

Ginny stared at him speechless. She shook her head. "You don't want to marry me, Blaise," she said as she turned away from him. "You don't. I've been horrible, Blaise. I've been a monster… you don't want me in your life."

"Monster, or not, I do want you. That's why I've been here every day waiting for a chance to talk to you."

"Every day?"

"Didn't they tell you?"

"I stopped asking. I didn't want to know."

"Oh."

Ginny turned back to him. "Blaise, I left because I thought you didn't love me. And I hated myself for giving five years to someone who would never love me in return. Five years, Blaise. I waited five years for you to ask me that question, and you never did. So I left."

"But Ginny, I was—"

"Let me finish, Blaise," she said, holding up a hand to silence him. "I left you and came here. Then, about two weeks later I realized something." She paused for a second.

"What did you realize?"

"I discovered that I wasn't the only one who left you."

"What?"

"I'm pregnant, Blaise. When I left, I took your child with me."

There was a moment of silence before Blaise responded. "Ginny, that's wonderful."

She locked eyes with him. Her blue ones, shocked; his brown ones, excited.

"What?" she let out with her breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding.

"We can have a family. If you come home with me, we can start over. You, me, and the baby; it'll work."

She tried to smile. "How do you know?"

"Because I love you. Ginny, the night you left, I was home early so that I could take you out to dinner. I was going to propose that night." He watched as her eyes widened. "You see? I've loved you all along."

"You really have?" she asked, unable to believe that she'd given up the best thing she'd ever had.

"Yes. Please come back to me. I need you."

Ginny smiled softly and went into his arms. "I'll come back."

They held each other for a few moments and then Ginny pulled away. "Leaving you didn't give me what I wanted, Blaise."

"It didn't?"

"No. Not only was I not loved, but I didn't have the one thing that only you can do to me."

"What's that?" he asked with a small smile.

"The thing that brought me to you five years ago." She went to him and kissed him. "Blaise, you're the only one who can take me away from it all."


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Away From It All

Author: SilverShiver

Disclaimer: I don't own it. J.K. Rowling does. That's about it.

Away From It All (3/3)

"I'm going with you Blaise!"

"Ginny, please," he pleaded. "Stay here. You're in no condition."

"I'm going!" she argued.

"Go, Blaise, I'll keep her with me," Hermione volunteered as she held onto Ginny's arm. "I can't go anyway."

"Thank you," he said as he turned away.

"Wait!" Hermione cried. When Blaise turned he saw her crying. "Watch him for me, Blaise. Don't let him get hurt."

He nodded sadly and headed out the door. Ginny struggled with Hermione until she realized that Hermione wouldn't allow her to leave. "I want to be with him."

"I want to be with Harry. But we're of no use out there, Ginny. We're carrying children. Are you really going to risk your child's life?"

Ginny was breathing heavily and finally gave her arm one more wrench. Hermione let go and waited for Ginny to decide. She sighed in relief as Ginny went to the couch and sat down. Hermione took her seat next to her friend. "Thank you."

"I've waited for this moment for years and now it's here and I can't go. It's not right."

"But it's for the best. Now, we leave it up to the men… I'm sure we'll win." She said this all as calmly as she could manage, but it was not enough to keep the fear and dread out of her voice. It was the war—the final battle. The one they had all prepared for. But with Ginny in her eight month of pregnancy and Hermione in her sixth, it was impossible for them to participate. Instead, they had to stay behind and wait for an outcome that they couldn't possibly predict.

Both sides had gained an incredible amount of strength, and that was what the war was going to depend on—sheer strength in numbers. Whoever could outlast the other side would win. Of course, a lot would depend on who won between Harry and 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named', but even if Harry won, the other side could still come out on top.

Ginny saw Hermione's tears and then noticed her own. It wasn't fair. They both knew it, but there was nothing either one of them could do to prevent it.

"Why didn't you like me back in school?" Ginny asked suddenly, not even noticing herself that she had begun to speak.

"What?" Hermione asked, surprised by the question.

"Back in school. You, Harry and Ron never paid any attention to me. Was I just the annoying little sister to you back then?"

"Ginny!"

"What?"

"I had you in my Head Dorms every night. I never let Harry or Ron in. Ever. I told you things back then that I could never tell anyone else. Ginny, you've always been my best friend. You've been my only girlfriend since I started Hogwarts. What would ever make you think that I didn't like you?"

"When you were with Harry and Ron… you forgot about me. I never felt included."

"Then it was a mistake on our part. Ginny, Harry and I love you! You know that."

She nodded shortly. "I suppose so."

"There's something else, isn't there?" Ginny shook her head. "There is Ginny. Tell me. I'll try to explain if I can."

"I don't know. I really don't. I just never felt like I was a part of your group. It was always The Trio and sometimes Ginny. Just like Neville was always around you but never really a part of your group. We were on the outside. That hurt."

"Ginny," Hermione laughed despite herself, "I can't change the past. I can only say that I love you now as much as I always have and that's a lot. You were always a big part of my life, and always will be."

Ginny smiled. "I know."

"So what do you want to do? I don't know how long we'll be locked up in here, but I don't suppose it'll be too long."

"Let's talk for a while then."

"All right. What about?"

"How did you Harry get together?"

Hermione laughed. "You don't want to know."

"I do," Ginny said simply.

Hermione sighed and gave her friend a devilish look. "Well, we actually started dating during our seventh year; we didn't tell anyone until almost a year after graduation."

Ginny nodded. "I know."

"What?" Hermione asked. "How did you know?"

"Hermione, for a long time I loved Harry. And then all of a sudden he was happy again, despite the fact that Malfoy had gotten away as had Snape. It didn't seem to matter to him anymore that Dumbledore had died, or that his parents and Sirius were gone. I knew he had someone. And after your parents were killed, you both were gone for a week. I was the only one who saw it for what it was."

"Wow, Ginny. You never told me you knew?"

Ginny looked away. "You never told me. I figured I would let you have your secret and I would keep mine."

"You had a secret?"

Ginny returned her devilish smile. "Indeed. But you were telling me how you and Harry actually started."

Hermione leaned back. "It was after a Quidditch game. I had been standing behind the stands waiting for your brother and Harry to change when someone slipped a blindfold over my eyes. Of course, I naturally thought the worse and sent a soundless curse in the direction of the culprit. Then, once they were away I removed the blindfold and saw Harry lying on the ground in pain."

"What curse did you use?"

"Well I had assumed it was a man…"

"Oh," Ginny whispered, understanding instantly.

"Yes. Well, I immediately kneeled down and waited for it to wear off. It didn't take too long, thankfully. And once he was standing I reprimanded him. I demanded to know what he was doing sneaking up on me like that and after a few stuttered words, he kissed me. I suppose he wanted to catch me buy surprise, and he did it just as well without the blindfold, I must say."

Ginny tilted her head and bit her lip. "But why did you keep it a secret from everyone else?" she asked. She couldn't see a reason for it, like she had had a reason with her relationship with Blaise.

"Your brother," Hermione said. "We were going to tell him, but then…" Hermione trailed off, the memory still to fresh. "But then he was gone and it didn't matter. And we didn't want to tell everyone right then, so we kept it hidden for a while longer."

"I see."

"What about your secret?"

"Mine? Oh, you already know mine."

"What is it?"

"Blaise was my secret," Ginny divulged.

"For how long?" Hermione asked eagerly.

Ginny smiled. "Two years."

"What? So you didn't meet him after graduation?"

"No. I met him early on in my sixth year. He cornered me three times in about five minutes, and finally gave me something I had needed for a long time. Something that I still need everyday. He helps with that. He's the only one I've ever met that could do it."

"Could do what, Ginny?" she asked, interested in her friends unusual relationship with the dark Slytherin.

"Blaise could take me away from everything—away from my problems, away from life, away from it all." She smiled sadly as she told Hermione her deepest, longest kept secret.

"I've always wondered why he is so special to you."

Suddenly Ginny was crying. "Ginny? What is it?"

"I can't do this anymore!"

"Do what?"

"I can't stay here. I can't put him through this!"

Hermione stood up with her friend. "Ginny, you are eight months pregnant. You can not leave this house!"

"I can and I will. I need to be by his side, Hermione! How can you stand not being by Harry's?"

"Because I know if I show up, he will be too busy watching me to watch out for himself. A mistake which could cost him his life! Now sit down before you do something you might regret forever."

Ginny took a deep breath but didn't sit down. "Hermione," she whispered.

"No! You can't go, Ginny. You need to rest. You were fine a few moments ago. What happened?"

"I need to see Blaise. One last time."

"You will see him. When he gets back! Please, Ginny."

Ginny shook her head stubbornly and apparated away.

OoOoOoOoO

Ginny knew the Death Eaters had attacked Hogwarts, coming out from all the different secret passageways in the school. So, she had apparated to the gates outside the majestic castle. As she looked at its tall peaks, she felt the same sense of awe that she had felt at eleven when she walked through the doors for the first time.

She rushed up to the castle with her wand in front of her. Luckily, her pregnancy had proved very easy, and even her stomach had not grown to extreme proportions, so she was able to run up the stairs and into the midst of the battle. Her eyes immediately found her brothers Fred and George fighting back to back and proving to be quite the team. She saw Charlie on the stairs, avoiding the green streaks and throwing out red and blue shots.

When she saw Harry she nearly cried out. He was locked in battle with Voldemort, and there was a dome around him. She could see the ghosts or spirits of Harry's parents, as well as at least a dozen others. Among them were both Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape, urging Harry on in his efforts. She could only imagine what he must be thinking, having two of his enemies on his side suddenly.

"Ginny!" Blaise called out and she spun around to meet him. He grabbed her arm and dragged her into a corridor with him.

"Blaise! I couldn't stay away any longer."

He looked at her wildly, and she suddenly saw the fear in his eyes. "Blaise, what's wrong?" She had never seen him afraid, and it was scaring her. Then, with one motion, he got through to her what Hermione hadn't been able to. That by being there she was risking her life. He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

"Stay by me, Ginevra. Don't you dare disappear on me," he warned and she shook her head.

"I love you, Blaise," she whispered. "But you know why I'm here."

"Ginny…"

"No. I'll fight, but I don't want you to protect me. I need to do this on my own. You know I do."

Blaise refused to acknowledge what he was allowing. He simply walked away from her and found an inattentive Death Eater to attack. She calmly stepped out from the alcove they had been talking in and found her own Death Eater to curse. He turned to her angrily, and then stopped short when he realized it was a pregnant woman. But that pause was all Ginny needed. She shot out a curse and he fell to the ground immobilized.

Ginny realized now what she had needed her whole life. Of course, Blaise had been able to take her away from it all for so long. Years he had been what she needed. But in the sitting room with Hermione she had understood that he wasn't what she needed anymore. And now he knew this as well.

Ginny was unstable. She knew she was. She had been bordering on depression for her entire adult life, and only with Blaise's constant devotion and commitment to her had she stayed on the sane side of the thin line. But the past few days, she had slowly been slipping away from him. She still loved him, as he would always love her, but there was nothing either one had been able to do to save her; just as there was nothing they would ever be able to do.

Ginny felt someone approaching her and she spun around to face an enemy. Before she could shout a curse there was a fast streak of green approaching her. When it hit her, her first reaction was surprise because she was still living. She found Blaise, and found him staring in shock. Ginny regained her wits first and cursed the man who was staring at her in horror. Terrified of one who had survived a killing curse.

Then, Ginny felt a wetness between her legs. She looked down and knew instantly what had happened. She met Blaise's eyes and could see them filling with tears.

"Blaise," she whispered in fear, knowing he couldn't hear her from across the hall, against all the noise. He turned away, knowing she had chosen this path. "I love you."

She spun around and met another Death Eater in combat. A few well placed curses and he was on the ground as well. Ginny stopped short when she saw the next Death Eater. It was Ron. Her shoulders fell and her wand dropped to the ground.

"Ron…" she gasped as she shrank back.

Ron didn't say anything as he raised his wand to her frail body. Ginny closed her eyes and waited for the two words to follow.

The words were spoken softly and slow.

"Avada Kedavra."

OoOoOoOoO

Blaise hadn't been able to watch as Ginny had made her decision. He knew it would have happened soon enough anyway. For the past week, they hadn't been talking. She was suicidal, and wouldn't let him help her any longer. He loved her enough to want to make her happy. If this was the only way, then he had to be willing to give her up.

When he finally did turn around he saw her on the ground. Even though he had known it would happen, he couldn't help but feel the sudden kick to his system. He ran to her fallen body and picked her up into his arms.

"Ginny," he cried softly, his tears falling onto her paling cheeks. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her into the same secret passage where he had taken her in his seventh year. He laid her down and spent nearly two hours stroking her face. He thought of all their times together and how he would've given anything to change what had happened.

When he came back around, he noticed that the shouting had ceased and the school actually appeared to be deserted. With Ginny back in his arms he carried her out, away from the school where she had grown up, away from the rubble that it had become, away from the reminder of the deaths, away from the bodies still littering the ground, away from everything, and what he knew would be the most important to his wife, he carried her away from it all.


End file.
